μετὰ δʼ Ἰασὸν τὸ τῶν Μιλησίων Ποσείδιον ἔστιν. ἐν δὲ τῇ μεσογαίᾳ τρεῖς εἰσι πόλεις ἀξιόλογοι, Μύλασα Στρατονίκεια Ἀλάβανδα· αἱ δὲ ἄλλαι περιπόλιοι τούτων ἢ τῶν παραλίων, ὧν εἰσιν Ἀμυζὼν Ἡράκλεια Εὔρωμος Χαλκήτορες· τούτων μὲν οὖν ἐλάττων λόγος.
Next to Iasus is Cape Poseidium of the Milesians. In the interior are three considerable cities, Mylasa, Stratoniceia, and Alabanda. The others are guard forts to these or to the maritime towns, as Amyzon, Heracleia, Euromus, Chalcetor. But we make little account of these.
τὰ δὲ Μύλασα ἵδρυται ἐν πεδίῳ σφόδρα εὐδαίμονι· ὑπέρκειται δὲ κατὰ κορυφὴν ὄρος αὐτοῦ, λατόμιον λευκοῦ λίθου κάλλιστον ἔχον· τοῦτο μὲν οὖν ὄφελός ἐστιν οὐ μικρόν, τὴν λιθείαν πρὸς τὰς οἰκοδομίας ἄφθονον καὶ ἐγγύθεν ἔχον καὶ μάλιστα πρὸς τὰς τῶν ἱερῶν καὶ τῶν ἄλλων δημοσίων ἔργων κατασκευάς· τοιγάρτοι στοαῖς τε καὶ ναοῖς εἴ τις ἄλλη κεκόσμηται παγκάλως. θαυμάζειν δʼ ἔστι τῶν ὑποβαλόντων οὕτως ἀλόγως τὸ κτίσμα ὀρθίῳ καὶ ὑπερδεξίῳ κρημνῷ· καὶ δὴ τῶν ἡγεμόνων τις εἰπεῖν λέγεται θαυμάσας τὸ πρᾶγμα ταύτην γάρ ἔφη τὴν πόλιν ὁ κτίσας, εἰ μὴ ἐφοβεῖτο, ἆρʼ οὐδʼ ᾐσχύνετο; ἔχουσι δʼ οἱ Μυλασεῖς ἱερὰ δύο τοῦ Διός, τοῦ τε Ὀσογῶα καλουμένου καὶ Λαβραυνδηνοῦ, τὸ μὲν ἐν τῇ πόλει, τὰ δὲ Λάβραυνδα κώμη ἐστὶν ἐν τῷ ὄρει κατὰ τὴν ὑπέρθεσιν τὴν ἐξ Ἀλαβάνδων εἰς τὰ Μύλασα ἄπωθεν τῆς πόλεως· ἐνταῦθα νεώς ἐστιν ἀρχαῖος καὶ ξόανον Διὸς Στρατίου· τιμᾶται δὲ ὑπὸ τῶν κύκλῳ καὶ ὑπὸ τῶν Μυλασέων, ὁδός τε ἔστρωται σχεδόν τι καὶ ἑξήκοντα σταδίων μέχρι τῆς πόλεως ἱερὰ καλουμένη, διʼ ἧς πομποστολεῖται τὰ ἱερά· ἱερῶνται δʼ οἱ ἐπιφανέστατοι τῶν πολιτῶν ἀεὶ διὰ βίου. ταῦτα μὲν οὖν ἴδια τῆς πόλεως. τρίτον δʼ ἐστὶν ἱερὸν τοῦ Καρίου Διὸς κοινὸν ἁπάντων Καρῶν, οὗ μέτεστι καὶ Λυδοῖς καὶ Μυσοῖς ὡς ἀδελφοῖς. ἱστορεῖται δὲ κώμη ὑπάρξαι τὸ παλαιόν, πατρὶς δὲ καὶ βασίλειον τῶν Καρῶν τῶν περὶ τὸν Ἑκατόμνω· πλησιάζει δὲ μάλιστα τῇ κατὰ Φύσκον θαλάττῃ ἡ πόλις, καὶ τοῦτʼ ἐστὶν αὐτοῖς ἐπίνειον.
Mylasa is situated in a very fertile plain; a mountain, containing a very beautiful marble quarry, overhangs the city; and it is no small advantage to have stone for building in abundance and near at hand, particularly for the construction of temples and other public edifices; consequently, no city is embellished more beautifully than this with porticos and temples. It is a subject of surprise, however, that persons should be guilty of the absurdity of building the city at the foot of a perpendicular and lofty precipice. One of the governors of the province is reported to have said, when he expressed his astonishment at this circumstance, If the founder of the city had no fear, he had no shame.
The Mylasians have two temples, one of Jupiter called Osogo, and another of Jupiter Labrandenus. The former is in the city. Labranda is a village on the mountain, near the passage across it from Alabanda to Mylasa, at a distance from the city. At Labranda is an ancient temple of Jupiter, and a statue of Jupiter Stratius, who is worshipped by the neighbouring people and by the inhabitants of Mylasa. There is a paved road for a distance of about 60 stadia from the temple to the city; it is called the Sacred Way, along which the sacred things are carried in procession. The most distinguished citizens are always the priests, and hold office during life. These temples belong peculiarly to the city. There is a third temple of the Carian Jupiter, common to all the Carians, in the use of which the Lydians, also, and Mysians participate, as being brethren.
Mylasa is said to have been anciently a village, but the native place and royal residence of Hecatomnus and the Carians. The city approaches nearest to the sea at Physcus, which is their naval arsenal.
ἀξιολόγους δʼ ἔσχεν ἄνδρας καθʼ ἡμᾶς τὰ Μύλασα, ῥήτοράς τε ἅμα καὶ δημαγωγοὺς τῆς πόλεως, Εὐθύδημόν τε καὶ Ὑβρέαν. ὁ μὲν οὖν Εὐθύδημος ἐκ προγόνων παραλαβὼν οὐσίαν τε μεγάλην καὶ δόξαν, προσθεὶς καὶ τὴν δεινότητα, οὐκ ἐν τῇ πατρίδι μόνον μέγας ἦν ἀλλὰ καὶ ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ τῆς πρώτης ἠξιοῦτο τιμῆς· Ὑβρέᾳ δʼ ὁ πατήρ, ὡς αὐτὸς διηγεῖτο ἐν τῇ σχολῇ καὶ παρὰ τῶν πολιτῶν ὡμολόγητο, ἡμίονον κατέλιπε ξυλοφοροῦντα καὶ ἡμιονηγόν· διοικούμενος δʼ ὑπὸ τούτων ὀλίγον χρόνον, Διοτρέφους τοῦ Ἀντιοχέως ἀκροασάμενος ἐπανῆλθε καὶ τῷ ἀγορανομίῳ παρέδωκεν αὑτόν· ἐνταῦθα δὲ κυλινδηθεὶς καὶ χρηματισάμενος μικρὰ ὥρμησεν ἐπὶ τὸ πολιτεύεσθαι καὶ τοῖς ἀγοραίοις συνακολουθεῖν, ταχὺ δὲ αὔξησιν ἔσχε καὶ ἐθαυμάσθη ἔτι μὲν καὶ Εὐθυδήμου ζῶντος, ἀλλὰ τελευτήσαντος μάλιστα, κύριος γενόμενος τῆς πόλεως. ζῶν δʼ ἐπεκράτει πολὺ ἐκεῖνος, δυνατὸς ὢν ἅμα καὶ χρήσιμος τῇ πόλει, ὥστʼ εἰ καί τι τυραννικὸν προσῆν, τοῦτʼ ἀπελύετο τῷ παρακολουθεῖν τὸ χρήσιμον. ἐπαινοῦσι γοῦν τοῦτο τοῦ Ὑβρέου ὅπερ δημηγορῶν ἐπὶ τελευτῆς εἶπεν Εὐθύδημε, κακὸν εἶ τῆς πόλεως ἀναγκαῖον· οὔτε γὰρ μετὰ σοῦ δυνάμεθα ζῆν οὔτʼ ἄνευ σοῦ. αὐξηθεὶς οὖν ἐπὶ πολὺ καὶ δόξας καὶ πολίτης ἀγαθὸς εἶναι καὶ ῥήτωρ ἔπταισεν ἐν τῇ πρὸς Λαβιηνὸν ἀντιπολιτείᾳ. οἱ μὲν γὰρ ἄλλοι μεθʼ ὅπλων ἐπιόντι καὶ Παρθικῆς συμμαχίας, ἤδη τῶν Παρθυαίων τὴν Ἀσίαν ἐχόντων, εἶξαν ἅτε ἄοπλοι καὶ εἰρηνικοί· Ζήνων δʼ ὁ Λαοδικεὺς καὶ Ὑβρέας οὐκ εἶξαν, ἀμφότεροι ῥήτορες, ἀλλὰ ἀπέστησαν τὰς ἑαυτῶν πόλεις· ὁ δʼ Ὑβρέας καὶ προσπαρώξυνε φωνῇ τινι μειράκιον εὐερέθιστον καὶ ἀνοίας πλῆρες. ἐκείνου γὰρ ἀνειπόντος ἑαυτὸν Παρθικὸν αὐτοκράτορα οὐκοῦν ἔφη κἀγὼ λέγω ἐμαυτὸν Καρικὸν αὐτοκράτορα. ἐκ τούτου δὲ ἐπὶ τὴν πόλιν ὥρμησε τάγματα ἔχων ἤδη συντεταγμένα Ῥωμαίων τῶν ἐν τῇ Ἀσίᾳ· αὐτὸν μὲν οὖν οὐ κατέλαβε παραχωρήσαντα εἰς Ῥόδον, τὴν δʼ οἰκίαν αὐτοῦ διελυμήνατο πολυτελεῖς ἔχουσαν κατασκευὰς καὶ διήρπασεν· ὡς δʼ αὕτως καὶ τὴν πόλιν ὅλην ἐκάκωσεν. ἐκλιπόντος δʼ ἐκείνου τὴν Ἀσίαν ἐπανῆλθε καὶ ἀνέλαβεν ἑαυτόν τε καὶ τὴν πόλιν. περὶ μὲν οὖν Μυλάσων ταῦτα.
Mylasa has produced in our time illustrious men, who were at once orators and demagogues, Euthydemus and Hybreas. Euthydemus inherited from his ancestors great wealth and reputation. He possessed commanding eloquence, and was regarded as a person of eminence, not only in his own country, but was thought worthy of the highest honours even in Asia. The father of Hybreas, as he used to relate the circumstance in his school, and as it was confirmed by his fellow-citizens, left him a mule which carried wood, and a mule driver. He was maintained for a short time by their labour, and was enabled to attend the lectures of Diotrephes of Antioch. On his return he held the office of superintendent of the market. But here being harassed, and gaining but little profit, he applied himself to the affairs of the state, and to attend to the business of the forum. He quickly advanced himself, and became an object of admiration, even during the lifetime of Euthydemus, and still more after his death, as the leading person in the city. Euthydemus possessed great power, and used it for the benefit of the city, so that if some of his acts were rather tyrannical, this character was lost in their public utility.
The saying of Hybreas, at the conclusion of an harangue to the people, is applauded: Euthydemus, you are an evil necessary to the city; for we can live neither with thee nor without thee.
Hybreas, although he had acquired great power, and had the reputation of being both a good citizen and an excellent orator, was defeated in his political opposition to Labienus. For the citizens, unarmed, and disposed to peace, surrendered to Labienus, who attacked them with a body of troops and with Parthian auxiliaries, the Parthians being at that time masters of Asia. But Zeno of Laodiceia and Hybreas, both of them orators, did not surrender, but caused their own cities to revolt. Hybreas provoked Labienus, an irritable and vain young man, by saying, when the youth announced himself emperor of the Parthians, Then I shall call myself emperor of the Carians. Upon this Labienus marched against the city, having with him cohorts drafted from the Roman soldiery stationed in Asia. He did not however take Hybreas prisoner, who had retreated to Rhodes, but plundered and destroyed his house, which contained costly furniture, and treated the whole city in the same manner. After Labienus had left Asia, Hybreas returned, and restored his own affairs and those of the city to their former state.
This then on the subject of Mylasa.
Στρατονίκεια δʼ ἐστὶ κατοικία Μακεδόνων· ἐκοσμήθη δὲ καὶ αὕτη κατασκευαῖς πολυτελέσιν ὑπὸ τῶν βασιλέων. ἔστι δʼ ἐν τῇ χώρᾳ τῶν Στρατονικέων δύο ἱερά, ἐν μὲν Λαγίνοις τὸ τῆς Ἑκάτης ἐπιφανέστατον πανηγύρεις μεγάλας συνάγον κατʼ ἐνιαυτόν, ἐγγὺς δὲ τῆς πόλεως τὸ τοῦ Χρυσαορέως Διὸς κοινὸν ἁπάντων Καρῶν, εἰς ὃ συνίασι θύσοντές τε καὶ βουλευσόμενοι περὶ τῶν κοινῶν· καλεῖται δὲ τὸ σύστημα αὐτῶν Χρυσαορέων, συνεστηκὸς ἐκ κωμῶν· οἱ δὲ πλείστας παρεχόμενοι κώμας προέχουσι τῇ ψήφῳ, καθάπερ Κεραμιῆται· καὶ Στρατονικεῖς δὲ τοῦ συστήματος μετέχουσιν οὐκ ὄντες τοῦ Καρικοῦ γένους, ἀλλʼ ὅτι κώμας ἔχουσι τοῦ Χρυσαορικοῦ συστήματος. κἀνταῦθα δʼ ἀνὴρ ἀξιόλογος γεγένηται ῥήτωρ Μένιππος κατὰ τοὺς πατέρας ἡμῶν Κοτοκᾶς ἐπικαλούμενος, ὃν μάλιστα ἐπαινεῖ τῶν κατὰ τὴν Ἀσίαν ῥητόρων ὧν ἠκροάσατο Κικέρων, ὥς φησιν ἔν τινι γραφῇ αὐτὸς συγκρίνων Ξενοκλεῖ καὶ τοῖς κατʼ ἐκεῖνον ἀκμάζουσιν. ἔστι δὲ καὶ ἄλλη Στρατονίκεια ἡ πρὸς τῷ Ταύρῳ καλουμένη, πολίχνιον προσκείμενον τῷ ὄρει.
Stratoniceia is a colony of Macedonians. It was embellished by the kings with costly edifices. In the district of the Stratoniceians are two temples. The most celebrated, that of Hecate, is at Lagina, where every year great multitudes assemble at a great festival. Near the city is the temple of Jupiter Chrysaoreus, which is common to all the Carians, and whither they repair to offer sacrifice, and to deliberate on their common interests. They call this meeting tile Chrysaoreōn, which is composed of villages. Those who represent the greatest number of villages have the precedency in voting, like the Ceramiētae. The Stratoniceians, although they are not of Carian race, have a place in this assembly, because they possess villages included in the Chrysaoric body.
In the time of our ancestors there flourished at Stratoniceia a distinguished person, Menippus the orator, surnamed Catocas, whom Cicero commends in one of his writings above all the Asiatic orators whom he had heard, comparing him to Xenocles, and to those who flourished at that time.
There is another Stratoniceia, called Stratoniceia at the Taurus, a small town adjacent to the mountain.
Ἀλάβανδα δὲ καὶ αὐτὴ μὲν ὑπόκειται λόφοις δυσὶ συγκειμένοις οὕτως ὥστʼ ὄψιν παρέχεσθαι κανθηλίου κατεστρωμένου. καὶ δὴ καὶ ὁ μαλακὸς Ἀπολλώνιος σκώπτων τὴν πόλιν εἴς τε ταῦτα καὶ εἰς τὸ τῶν σκορπίων πλῆθος, ἔφη αὐτὴν εἶναι σκορπίων κανθήλιον κατεστρωμένον· μεστὴ δʼ ἐστὶ καὶ αὕτη καὶ ἡ τῶν Μυλασέων πόλις τῶν θηρίων τούτων καὶ ἡ μεταξὺ πᾶσα ὀρεινή. τρυφητῶν δʼ ἐστὶν ἀνθρώπων καὶ καπυριστῶν ἔχουσα ψαλτρίας πολλάς. ἄνδρες δʼ ἐγένοντο λόγου ἄξιοι δύο ῥήτορες ἀδελφοὶ Ἀλαβανδεῖς, Μενεκλῆς τε οὗ ἐμνήσθημεν μικρὸν ἐπάνω καὶ Ἱεροκλῆς, καὶ οἱ μετοικήσαντες εἰς τὴν Ῥόδον ὅ τε Ἀπολλώνιος καὶ ὁ Μόλων.
Alabanda lies at the foot of two eminences, in such a manner as to present the appearance of an ass with panniers. On this account Apollonius Malacus ridicules the city, and also because it abounds with scorpions; he says, it was an ass, with panniers full of scorpions.
This city and Mylasa, and the whole mountainous tract between them, swarm with these reptiles.
The inhabitants of Alabanda are addicted to luxury and debauchery. It contains a great number of singing girls.
Natives of Alabanda, distinguished persons, were two orators, brothers, Menecles, whom we mentioned a little above, and Hierocles, Apollonius, and Molo; the two latter afterwards went to Rhodes.
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